Macron’s Verbal Absurdities and France’s Strictly Interpreted Secularism

President Emmanuel Macron’s generalized and blanket assessment on the global state of Islam coupled with his reiteration to continue the fight against ‘Islamist Separatism” and unflagging insistence on not ‘giving up’ cartoons; is a continuum of the trail blazing avant-garde shenanigans one has now become accustomed to from several leading representatives of the mainstream French political ‘Establishment’.

This said, I’ve given the matter a great deal of thought all week, and whilst I too am deeply offended by some of his remarks, I’m afraid I’ve decided it’s no good putting Macron in a “mental institution” and throwing the keys away – at least not just yet.

Here’s why:

When it comes to sweeping generalizations, Macron is no different to many of us.

How often have we read or heard chestnuts such as: “Germans have no sense of humour”, “all cruise ships are ghastly,” “all golfers are boring” and “Hyundais are driven by people you wouldn’t want around for dinner”. This despite, us being well aware that most generalizations are nonsense and often insensitive and crude. The truth is, I know several very funny Germans, many entertaining golfers, delightful cruise ships. Not to mention, very drivable Hyundais driven by fine people worthy of breaking bread with. Similarly, I also know many sensitive, cultured and highly enlightened citizens of the Republique who would not be as ‘un-censored’ and ‘un-cut’ as Macron has been.

The aforementioned is not intended to be worthy or unworthy defence for Macron and his absurdities – “Two wrongs, don’t make a thing right” – especially when he has chosen to speak so blatantly and offensively on a topic far more sensitive than automobiles and the people who drive them. But, before we relegate him to a mental institution (as President Erdogan of Turkey has advised) it would perhaps, be prudent to shed some light on the underlying reasons for his untimely and unfiltered outburst.

To begin with, one needs to understand, comprehend and accept, that Emmanuel Macron is a professional politician over and above anything else.

He works in the same line of business as his most vocal adversaries President Erdogan and Prime Minister Khan.

He has constituents he must appeal and be seen to connect to in Lille, Nantes, Bordeaux, Cannes, Paris, Nice and Marseille; over and above non -constituents resident in Istanbul, Algiers, Rabat, Karachi, Riyadh, Dhaka, Cairo and Jakarta. The constituents Macron seeks to serve (an attract) follow French Secularism – Laicite.

The fact is, there is a real constitutional basis to Macron’s positioning on Islam — as necessitated by Laicite — it is also a political necessity.Macron will go into a Presidential election in early 2022. Where he will find himself in the ring with the likes of ultra-right-wing candidates like Marine La Pen, who he defeated in the 2017 election and who continues to champion the charge against Macron for not cracking down hard enough against Islamism.

Last year, Macron made changes to the immigration law on the grounds that it was being misused. He has since also amped up the rhetoric about ‘freedom of expression’ and laicite.

This is more of the same. This is politics!

What the citizens of the world and notably France itself should be more concerned with is the bigger picture as opposed to Macron’s verbal absurdities.

The President’s remarks show how far France has pivoted since the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre Twin Towers. When, Jacques Chirac, then the French President, had drawn the lines for his country’s support to the US war on terror. France more than any other country in the west appeared at that time to be the most cognizant of the dangers of conflating an entire religion with terrorism. This seems to have changed and that is indeed cause for real worry.

The real challenge for Macron is dealing with the difficulties that France has faced in reconciling its strictly interpreted secularism with the increasing assertion of religious identity by its Muslim citizens. This is where the focus needs to be – that slow residual and extremely dangerous change.

Looking closer at home, we won’t see much difference between Macron and Khan. I know this thought could offend many of you who read this, but, bear with me. As a reaction to Macron, Prime Minister Khan who’s deep admiration for Erdogan is no secret, wrote on Twitter “This is a time when President Macron could have put a healing touch and denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarization and marginalization that inevitably leads to radicalization.” Excellent advice, but one he perhaps, needed to have followed a little more effectively at home before tossing it over to Europe.

Prime Minister, without any intended disrespect – are Non-Muslim minorities in Pakistan any way safer in our country than Muslims in France?

In 2018, Khan removed world-renowned economist Atif Mian from his Economic Advisory Council, under pressure from extremists over Mian’s due to his faith. Just recently, Mian was stopped from giving a lecture at Karachi’s Institute of Business Administration after radical groups threatened the school’s authorities. There was no condemnation from Khan over the incident. Khan’s continued silence on the mistreatment of Uighur Muslims in China is also baffling. Where was Khan’s world cup winning healing touch and denial of space to extremists on these occasions? – The answer, simply put would be the same as in the case of Macron – this is politics!

So here is my message to Muslim leaders and Muslims all over the world:

Our beautiful religion demands beautiful practice. The kind exemplified, embodied and personified in every word, every thought and every action of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H).

Let us strengthen ourselves by our attitudes, our practices, our behaviors – let our actions command respect.

If we succeed, surely the Macrons of this world will consider many times over before being so grossly insensitive about our beloved and our faith.

Strength and influence, real strength and real influence comes from practice, achievement and example, the greatest love we could show our beloved is by doing our best to follow in his footsteps.

Sameer Anees is a strategy consultant by profession.